Small Cells

Small Cells

5G networks will push the limits for small cell deployments. The Parallel Wireless OpenRAN approach solves the triple challenge of interference, mobility and deployment:

A combination of intra- and inter-frequency underlay and overlay cells will be a common practice in 5G networks. In a spatial densification deployment the OpenRAN controller manages intra-cell interferences, and for a vertical densification deployment it will coordinate all load-related handoffs and other functionalities to utilize different layers accordingly, thus improving overall system performance and frequency utilization.

The split concept (DU and CU) for 5G facilitates a simpler approach toward frequency coordination among different cells in a geographical area. This approach to small cell deployments enables different DUs with the same or different operating frequencies to be connected and coordinated through a single CU (Parallel Wireless vCU as a VNF in OpenRAN software suite).

All these interference mitigation techniques require tight coordination among different RRHs. Parallel Wireless OpenRAN coordinates with connected small cells directly, and also provides all required signaling to macro cells and reduces the overall system control signaling.

Besides interference issues, the densification of cellular networks can impact user experience due to increases in handoffs and related signaling loads. The increase of handoffs in a mobile system can directly impact the volume of signaling in the system and have a negative impact on overall user experience and system capacity. The Parallel Wireless OpenRAN controller dynamically executes parameter changes to optimize the user experience based on their mobility.